Strange Fire, Day Two

Strange Fire, Day Two - Thursday, 17 OCT 2013

"Ours is a war for the mind." - John MacArthur

“While the working of the HS is invisible the results are visible.” - John MacArthur

“Satan is behind every stronghold that raises itself against Christ. We must be faithful to the truth in demolishing these.” - John MacArthur

"The last words (2 & 3 John) from the last living Apostle in the last decade of the 1st Century: "Stand for the TRUTH." - John MacArthur

"How do you know you are a Christian? It is not your perfection, it is your direction." - John MacArthur

“…the deadly dangers of the unholy spirit…” - John MacArthur

“The true people of God have always had to battle the false prophets and the liars.” - John MacArthur

"In order for the charismatic movement to succeed, they have to turn discernment into iniquity." - John MacArthur

“It is essential for the Charismatic movement to survive to must silence discernment warriors. When truth prevails, they do not.” - John MacArthur

           

"If you endeavor to contend for the truth they will condemn you as the sinner." - John MacArthur

“If you try to Biblically correct error in the Charismatic movement, you are condemned by them as the sinner and the divider.” - John MacArthur

"It ought to be enough to make you question the movement just to know that they do not want (scriptural) examination." - John MacArthur

“Test 1:  The true work of the Holy Spirit exalts the Lord Jesus Christ…The first test is a Christological test.” - John MacArthur

"All false religions and cults have an aberrant Christology; the Holy Spirit does not have an aberrant Christology.” - John MacArthur

“All cults and aberrant groups have a corrupted Christology. The Holy Spirit does not.” - John MacArthur

“The true work of the Spirit exalts the true Christ.” - John MacArthur

“The charismatic movement makes the Holy Spirit preeminent. The Holy Spirit makes Christ preeminent.” - John MacArthur

“Show me a person obsessed with the Holy Spirit and I will show you a person not filled with the Holy Spirit.” - John MacArthur

“When the Holy Spirit is the Person sought, His work has been rejected.” - John MacArthur

"Any Spirit-filled preacher will be Christ-dominated" - John MacArthur

“When you're filled by the Spirit, you seek to exalt Christ and humble yourself.” - John MacArthur

"Where are the Charismatics who know the truth about Christ in calling these [well-known Word of Faith heretics] out?" - John MacArthur

“Any movement that can fully embrace Roman Catholicism cannot be of the Holy Spirit because that is a false gospel.” - John MacArthur

“Any movement that accepts the Roman Catholic church is NOT a movement of God!” - John MacArthur

"If this movement can embrace Roman Catholicism it is not a work of the Holy Spirit." - John MacArthur

“The spirit behind the “catholic charismatic renewal” is not the Holy Spirit.” - John MacArthur

"24 million charismatics (i.e. Oneness Pentecostals) deny the Trinity." - John MacArthur

“The defining feature of all Pentecostalism is the health and wealth prosperity gospel.. the prosperity “gospel” preys on the sick and the poor.. it has no interest in the Biblical Gospel…the purveyors of this perversion stand guilty of presenting a false Gospel.” - John MacArthur

“Joel Osteen's gospel is "a shallow, saccharine variety of Universalism." - John MacArthur

“The Only way U can have your best life now is if Ur going 2 hell!  If you're going to heaven, this is not your best life." - John MacArthur

"The prosperity gospel is Christianity's version of professional wrestling" - John MacArthur

“It is worldly men speaking to worldly people about worldly things.” - John MacArthur

“It is a spiritual version of Bernie Madoff.” - John MacArthur

“Over 9 out of 10 of the world’s charismatics live in poverty.” - John MacArthur

“The prosperity gospel movement is more reprehensible than a casino. People expect a casino to take their money.  They take your money in Las Vegas, but you expect it.” - John MacArthur

“Test #3:  The true work of the HS points people to the Bible.” - John MacArthur

“The charismatic movement is about what is in it for me.” - John MacArthur

Source:  John MacArthur, General Session 5: “Testing the Spirits” (17 OCT 2013) at Strange Fire live streaming at http://www.tmstrangefire.org/ [accessed 17 OCT 2013].

See also:

Tim Challies, “Strange Fire Conference: John MacArthur Tests the Spirits” (17 OCT 2013) at

http://www.challies.com/liveblogging/strange-fire-conference-john-macarthur-tests-the-spirits [accessed 17 OCT 2013].

Mike Riccardi, “Strange Fire – Testing the Spirits – John MacArthur” (17 OCT 2013) on The Cripplegate at

http://thecripplegate.com/strange-fire-testing-the-spirits-john-macarthur/ [accessed 17 OCT 2013].

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"Every time that a dead sinner is awakened to the truth of the Gospel, it is a miracle of God's divine grace." - Tom Pennington

“Nothing eternal happens in a person apart from the Holy Spirit.” - Tom Pennington

"The man of God needs no additional revelation. It's all right here (the Bible)." - Tom Pennington

"The charismatic gifts are not the same as the New Testament gifts because they are not the New Testament gifts." - Tom Pennington

Source:  Tom Pennington, General Session 6: “A Case for Cessationism” (17 OCT 2013) at Strange Fire live streaming at http://www.tmstrangefire.org/ [accessed 17 OCT 2013].

See also:

Tim Challies, “Strange Fire Conference: A Case for Cessationism” (17 OCT 2013) at http://www.challies.com/liveblogging/strange-fire-conference-a-case-for-cessationism [accessed 17 OCT 2013].

Mike Riccardi, “Strange Fire – A Case for Cessationism – Tom Pennington” (17 OCT 2013) on The Cripplegate at http://thecripplegate.com/strange-fire-a-case-for-cessationism-tom-pennington/ [accessed 17 OCT 2013].

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"Charismatic chicanery: attributing to the Holy Spirit words He hasn't spoken or works He hasn't done." - Phil Johnson

"Charismatics, as a group, suffer from a pathological scarcity of progressive sanctification." - Phil Johnson

“The charismatic movement is a breeding ground for charlatans, and ….” - Phil Johnson

“The charismatic movement from its inception has produced a relentless parade of scoundrels.” - Phil Johnson

 “It is a pervasive problem.” - Phil Johnson

"It's a scandal and it ought to be." - Phil Johnson

“All of the religious rogues on TV are heretics of the charismatic movement.” - Phil Johnson

“They are the most visible face of American Christianity worldwide.” - Phil Johnson

“Charismatics as a group aren't taking their cues from the handful of reformed charismatics.” - Phil Johnson

“Being slain in the spirit had NO Biblical warrant.” - Phil Johnson

"Most of those who describe themselves as 'open but cautious' are cautious in exactly the wrong direction!" - Phil Johnson

“There are times when staking out the middle position is simply the wrong thing to do.” - Phil Johnson

“Biblically--A prophet is someone who speaks the Words of God. They must be true--always!” - Phil Johnson

“Charismatic prophets are not to be trusted. They have no track record of accuracy. All of them prophesy falsely.” - Phil Johnson

“Non-binding, non-infallible prophecy from God is an oxymoron.” - Phil Johnson

“Confusion about whether God has spoken or not is the most dangerous threat that I can imagine.” - Phil Johnson

“I don’t think there is a baby in the bathwater.  I don’t think a baby could survive in a mess like that.” - Phil Johnson

“This problem is in the movement’s DNA.” - Phil Johnson

“It stems from a bramblebush, not a fruit tree.” - Phil Johnson

“It’s time to clean the sink.” - Phil Johnson

Source:  Phil Johnson, Breakout Session 1: "Is There a Baby in the Charismatic Bathwater?" (17 OCT 2013) at Strange Fire live streaming at http://www.tmstrangefire.org/ [accessed 17 OCT 2013].

See also:

Mike Riccardi, “Strange Fire – Is There a Baby in the Bathwater? – Phil Johnson” (17 OCT 2013), on The Cripplegate at http://thecripplegate.com/strange-fire-is-there-a-baby-in-the-bathwater-phil-johnson/ [accessed 17 OCT 2013].

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"The prosperity gospel has no concept of the sovereignty of God." - Justin Peters

"There is no prosperity gospel; no social gospel. If you add an adjective to the gospel, then you don't have the gospel." - Justin Peters

Source:  Justin Peters, Breakout Session 1: “The Devilish Puppet Master of the Word-Faith Movement” (17 OCT 2013) at Strange Fire.

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Nathan Busenitz, “Breakout Session 1: A Word from the Lord? Evaluating the Modern Gift of Prophecy” (17 OCT 2013) at Strange Fire.

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Word #1: Fire

"Theologically speaking, do we really want to call down fire from heaven?" - Todd Friel

Word #2: Anointing

“If you are a Christian, you are anointed.” - Justin Peters

"The "anointing" is actually the promise of the Holy Spirit to illuminate the Word, and every believer has it." - John MacArthur

Word #3: Glory

“If that was the glory of the God everybody in the building would be dead.” - John MacArthur

“I don't see how a true, born again, regenerate Christian can stay in that environment for longer than 2 seconds.” - Steve Lawson

“We are not dividing the Body of Christ in this conference.  We are trying to identify the Body of Christ, and these people are not part of it.” - John MacArthur

“One of the things that makes it so hard to deal with the false teachers is when the good guys start associating with the bad guys…. What makes it so hard to warn the sheep about the wolves is when the leaders of the sheep are associating with the wolves.” - Justin Peters

Word #4: Dominion

“Dominionists say they will usher in the Kingdom. "You can't usher in the kingdom until the King comes.” - Steve Lawson

“Domininism is "an egotistical madness" and "a vast overestimation of the power they have."

- Tom Pennington

On Jesus Culture, International House of Prayer (IHOP), Rodney Howard Browne (Revival Ministries International), Bethel Church’s “Fire Tunnels” (Redding, CA), and Kundalini in the Word of Faith movement and the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR):

"Even evangelical churches are using the unacceptable music of the world to draw people in."

-  John MacArthur

"The music is an avenue to draw people into their teachings" - Justin Peters

"It's not that we get more of the Holy Spirit, it's that He gets more of us." - Steve Lawson

“God put the worship of Himself in a box, in the second commandment.” - Tom Pennington

“Those who are in Christ are driven by the mind, by their understanding of truth.” - Tom Pennington

“Worship is either prescribed or modeled in the Bible. God set the standard for worship. Follow it!” - John MacArthur.

“If Satan can make people think that this is Jesus that is the ultimate deception.” - John MacArthur

Source:  Panel Q&A 1: Todd Friel with John MacArthur, Steve Lawson, Tom Pennington, and Justin Peters (17 OCT 2013) at Strange Fire live streaming at http://www.tmstrangefire.org/ [accessed 17 OCT 2013].

See also:  Mike Riccardi, “Strange Fire – Panel Q&A 1 – MacArthur, Lawson, Pennington, & Peters” (17 OCT 2013), on The Cripplegate at http://thecripplegate.com/strange-fire-panel-qa-1-macarthur-lawson-pennington-peters/ [accessed 22 OCT 2013].

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"Sola Scriptura:

1.  It was defined by the Westminster Divines

2.  It was deluded by the Quakers

3.  It was defended by John Owen - England’s Calvin" - Steve Lawson

1.  Sola Scriptura Defined by the Westminster Divines

Inspiration of Scripture

Inerrancy of Scripture

Infallibility of Scripture

Authority of Scripture

Perspicuity of Scripture

Sufficiency of Scripture

Immutability of Scripture

Invincibility of Scripture

Finality of Scripture

"God does not stutter in His Word. He has spoken in abundant clarity….God has not stuttered in His Word, He has spoken with precision and accuracy." -  Steve Lawson

"Rome said, 'The man and woman in the pew CANNOT understand the Bible...The Puritans and reformers said, 'NO!'" -  Steve Lawson

“Listen: Right will always be right, wrong will always be wrong, the way of salvation will always be the way of salvation. God's revelation is unchanging because God Himself is immutable and unchanging.” - Steve Lawson

"After the closing of the canon, there is no new revelation of Scripture given to man." - Steve Lawson

"Right will always be right; wrong will always be wrong. The way of salvation will always be the way of salvation." - Steve Lawson

"The Word of God is the most powerful object we will ever hold in our hands." - Steve Lawson

 “All of these truths are inherent in this statement: Sola Scriptura.” - Steve Lawson

“Do not bring your “thus says the Lord” into this house if it is not found in chapter and verse.” - Steve Lawson

"After the closing of the canon, there is no new revelation of Scripture given to man." - Steve Lawson

"All Scriptures is given by inspiration of God, not by the inspiration of God AND man." - Steve Lawson

"This book (the Bible) is not hard to understand. It's just hard to swallow." - Steve Lawson

“As only a diamond can cut a diamond, so only Scripture can interpret Scripture.” - Thomas Watson, cited by Steve Lawson

"The Bible never contradicts itself, it speaks with only one voice." - Steve Lawson

“We’re not just dogmatic about this.  We’re bulldogmatic about it.  Sola Scriptura is non-negotiable.  The Word of God is not up for debate.  ” - Steve Lawson

2.  Sola Scriptura Deluded by the Quakers

“Whenever God is doing His greatest work you can be sure that the devil is right there to bring in his false religion.” - Steve Lawson

"At the heart of the Quaker theology was this message: that one can be saved apart from the Scripture." - Steve Lawson

“You take one step off of Sola Scriptura and you are on a theological banana peel…” - Steve Lawson

3.  Sola Scriptura Defended by John Owen[1]

“Any attempt to add to the written Word of God is actually an attack upon the perfection of Scripture.” - Steve Lawson, summarizing John Owen

“If you are seeking new revelations it is because you have no understanding of the perfection of the written Word of God.” - Steve Lawson

“There is absolutely no room for new revelations.” - Steve Lawson

"If [the Bible] is so incomplete to need poor mortal men to be adding to it where is its perfection?" - Steve Lawson, citing John Owen

"If the Scriptures are complete what need do we have for new revelation and uncontrolled enthusiasm?" - Steve Lawson quoting John Owen

“As the teachings of the fanatics contain matter alien to . . . the Scriptures . . . shun them as diabolical, execrable, useless, groundless, and false.” - Steve Lawson quoting John Owen

"What God has said to everyone, he says to you." - Steve Lawson

"May the Word of God regulate the entirety of our lives." - Steve Lawson

"May the Word of God and the Word of God only be our rule of faith... our standard for what is true in this world." - Steve Lawson

"May God give us much grace, that we may stand upon the Word of God." - Steve Lawson

“May we here tonight have a cessation clause in our personal statement of faith. . . . May the Word of God, and the Word of God alone, be our rule of authority and our standard. . . .” - Steve Lawson

Source:  Steve Lawson, General Session 7: “The Puritan Commitment to Sola Scriptura” (17 OCT 2013) at Strange Fire live streaming at http://www.tmstrangefire.org/ [accessed 17 OCT 2013].

See also:

Tim Challies, “Strange Fire Conference: Scripture Alone” (18 OCT 2013) at

http://www.challies.com/liveblogging/strange-fire-conference-scripture-alone [accessed 22 OCT 2013].

Mike Riccardi, “Strange Fire – The Puritan Commitment to Sola Scriptura  – Steve Lawson,” (17 OCT 2013), on The Cripplegate at http://thecripplegate.com/strange-fire-the-puritan-commitment-to-sola-scriptura-steve-lawson/ [accessed 22 OCT 2013].

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[1] John Owen, Pro Sacris Scripturis Exercitationes Adversus Fanaticos (written 1658, published 1659), Eng. trans. A Defense of Sacred Scripture Against Modern Fanaticism found in Biblical Theology, trans. Stephen P. Westcott (Pittsburgh: Soli Deo Gloria, 1994). Full title: Pro Sacra Scripturis adversus hujus tempom Fanaticos exercitaliones apologeticae Quatuor .  See Barry H. Howson, “The Puritan Hermeneutics of John Owen: A Recommendation”, Westminster Theological Journal 63:2 (Fall 2001), pp. 359-365; on John Owen at http://www.johnowen.org/media/howson_owen_hermeneutics.pdf [accessed 18 OCT 20-13].